John Jay vs. VCU

Comparable Facts

Compare CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, NY with Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Virginia Commonwealth University is larger than John Jay based on total student enrollment (28,464 students vs. 13,763 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is located in New York, NY (Large City setting); Virginia Commonwealth University is in Richmond, VA (Midsize City setting).
• CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Virginia Commonwealth University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice 16:1; Virginia Commonwealth University 17:1.

John Jay vs. VCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, John Jay or VCU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice than VCU ($4,082 vs. $26,836).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Commonwealth University are 18% lower than at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice ($18,254 vs. $22,260).
• Virginia Commonwealth University is 126.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than John Jay (about $9,475 more per year; $16,945.00 vs. $7,470.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 160.1% higher at VCU than at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (about $24,689 more per year; $40,109.00 vs. $15,420.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Virginia Commonwealth University than at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (88% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Commonwealth University students is 42.3% larger than aid received by CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice students ($14,186 vs. $9,966).

John Jay vs. VCU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, John Jay or VCU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between VCU and John Jay.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Virginia Commonwealth University (1140) is 60 points higher than at John Jay (1080).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice 930/1220; Virginia Commonwealth University 1010/1270.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsVirginia Commonwealth University 22/30.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: John Jay - Test optional; VCU - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: VCU Jan 18, 2027.
• Accepted freshman VCU students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at John Jay (3.24).
• VCU has a higher acceptance rate (92.6%) than John Jay (57.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.4% at John Jay vs. 21.6% at VCU.

John Jay vs. VCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for John Jay and VCU? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Virginia Commonwealth University's six-year graduation rate (53%) is higher than CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice's (39%).
• Graduates from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice earn a median of about $400 more per year than VCU graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,900 vs. $47,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice graduates have a $13,250 lower median loan debt than VCU graduates ($10,000 vs. $23,250).
• Among borrowers, John Jay graduates have an estimated $137 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than VCU graduates ($103 vs. $240).
• More VCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former John Jay students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.